The curtains have come down on the 2024 National Ploughing Championships, and the organisers must have been extremely pleased with how the event played out. It attracted 244,000 visitors, which was 43,450 up on last year. Both visitors and exhibitors were blessed with glorious warm sunny weather. No doubt this fine weather had a hand in the extra visitor numbers. Conditions were ideal for the ploughing matches and also for those showing and demonstrating the vast range of tractors and machinery being exhibited.

The National Ploughing Championships was that bit extra special for RT Sales Ltd who won Machine of the Year with their tractor mounted hedge cutter. RT Sales Ltd is a family-owned hedge cutting business from Castleisland, Co. Kerry. The hedge cutter was designed and built by the family run business because of much needed features that were not on existing hedge cutters. RT Sales Ltd is a new company formed by Padraig Teahan and his father in law, Johnny Reidy, who have been hedge cutting contractors for many years. A big congratulations to Padraig and Johnny on their award.

Dealers who booked trade stands at this year’s National Ploughing Championships seem to have been pleased with their three days of exhibiting. Many new orders were placed, which made it worthwhile for a lot of dealers. It may seem an opportunity missed for those that opted out of exhibiting this year. There was a lot of interest from the smaller farmers who were focusing on the value for money machines. It was reported that some of the larger manufacturers stayed away. One company decided to opt for demonstrating their machinery around the country instead of exhibiting at the ploughing event.

With the background of new sales being generated at the ploughing event is this a sign that the market has turned a corner? This optimism may give an incentive for dealers to take out stands at future trade shows. The FTMTA will be holding its Farm Machinery Show in November. Will there be the same level of interest at this event? It was mainly the agricultural dealerships that benefited at the National Ploughing Championships. Will this level of buying enthusiasm transfer to the sportsturf and landscape sector?

If GroundsFest 2024 is anything to go by then there might be signs of hope. This event was held in the UK the week before the ploughing championships on the 10th and 11th of Sept. It was the second year of the show and the organisers were more than happy with how it went. Visitor numbers far exceeded last year (8,014 compared to 6,511 in 2023) and exhibitors seemed very pleased with the level of interest shown at their stands. How this interest transferred into cheque books being opened may well be another story. It will be interesting to see if this level of interest shown at GroundsFest 2024 spills into SALTEX 2024, which is only a month away. 

With so much optimism seen at the recent shows, does this signal the end of the downturn, or was it just a case that the sunny weather got to the heads of the buyers, putting them in a particularly good mood? Time will tell

Service Dealer has opened the entry process for 2024's Dealer Of The Year Awards to dealers across Ireland.

Below you will find all the links you'll need for dealerships to enter themselves and their staff for as many awards as they like. 

Also, dealerships and individuals can be nominated by any third party who feels they are deserving of recognition. These nominations can come from manufacturers, suppliers, customers, staff members etc.

Entries must be complete and include a 250-word supporting statement and at least one piece of supporting evidence. The awards will be judged taking into account the 12 months prior to the submission date.

Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke said, "We want to hear from as many of our amazing dealer readers as possible this year - including all our readers across Ireland. We especially want to hear the human stories behind the business - not just the facts and figures."

More detail on entries can be found by clicking the relevant category links below. Entries must be in by midnight on Friday 18th October 2024.

A judging panel will review all the nominations prior to the Awards Ceremony on the 28th November. All entries for the categories below will be considered by the judging panel for the prestigious Overall Dealer of the Year award (sponsored by Kress).

Below are the categories available for dealers to enter themselves, or be nominated by a third party.

Garden Machinery Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Husqvarna

Have you gone above and beyond this year to satisfy your domestic customers?

ENTER GARDEN MACHINERY DEALER OF THE YEAR

Farm Machinery Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Ibcos

Would your farming customers say you are outstanding in your field?

ENTER FARM MACHINERY DEALER OF THE YEAR

Forestry Equipment Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Societe Generale Equipment Finance

Is your dealership at the top of the tree when it comes to supplying forestry equipment?

ENTER FORESTRY EQUIPMENT DEALER OF THE YEAR

Professional Turfcare Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Toro UK

Is your team firing on all cylinders when it comes to your commercial turfcare customers?

ENTER PROFESSIONAL TURFCARE DEALER OF THE YEAR

ATV/Quad Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Yamaha

Are you the dealership customers turn to for tackling all terrain in the outdoor sector?

ENTER ATV/QUAD DEALER OF THE YEAR

New Technician of the Year - sponsored by Kubota

Technicians are the staff who keep the wheels turning - this is your chance to highlight someone in their first four years of the role.

ENTER NEW TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR

Star of the Dealership - sponsored by EGO

Do you have a staff member who’s made an exceptional contribution to the business?

ENTER STAR OF THE DEALERSHIP

Best New Initiative - sponsored by STIHL

Have you implemented something new - be it a fresh idea, some renovation, diversification, or branching out with new tech, let us know!

ENTER BEST NEW INITIATIVE

Leadership Award - Sponsored by AGCO

Does your dealership benefit from a great team leader who leads from the front and acts as a great example to all?

ENTER LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Awards will be presented at the Gala Dinner following the Service Dealer Conference that takes place on Thursday 28th November 2024 at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford upon Avon. The theme for this year's event is Driving Success.

GreenMech have announced the appointment of David Blackwood as their new sales director, following the retirement of Martin Lucas.

David Blackwood

The company says David joins with a wealth of business acumen gleaned from over 30 years of experience in the machinery industry, giving him the foundation to flourish in his new role - leading the sales operation across the UK and throughout GreenMech’s global network. 

David started his career as a design engineer in the Massey Ferguson tractor factory in Coventry. From here, he spent the next 15 years working for Massey Ferguson/AGCO in the Asia Pacific region - looking after all aspects of the business, including product support, sales and marketing. He then took up a position with Kubota UK, managing the sales and marketing for their tractor and groundcare business throughout the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and the Baltics. David went on to return to AGCO, this time to manage sales of FELLA hay tools for western Europe and latterly all markets outside of Europe, for a further 10 years before, most recently, becoming UK and export sales manager at Stocks Ag.

With over three decades of knowledge and experience dealing with sales at home and overseas, GreenMech say David is well placed to spearhead the their sales team and dealer network around the UK, together with supporting distributors around the world in conjunction with colleagues from GreenMech France and GreenMech Germany. 

Commenting on his appointment David said, “Having started at the beginning of July, I feel I have already gained huge insight into the market, its challenges, but also importantly, its opportunities. I look forward to meeting GreenMech customers past and present, along with other friends and associates at APF 2024.” 

He added, “Together with everyone at GreenMech, we wish to extend a massive thank you to Martin for all he has done and achieved with the company and wish him the very best for a long and fulfilling retirement.” 

SALTEX has announced the retirement of ‘Mr SALTEX’, Derek Walder - its long-standing operations manager.

Derek Walder - 'Mr SALTEX'

He will step down following this year's event on the 30th and 31st of October at the NEC Birmingham, marking his 42nd and final exhibition.

The GMA says Derek’s career spans more than six decades, beginning in the early 1960s in horticulture as a gardener on a private estate in Sussex. His love for working on lawns then led him to become assistant head greenkeeper at a golf course in Hertfordshire. In 1970, he became the grounds manager at a major sports field complex in Southwest London, famously used as the training ground for Wimbledon FC during the "Crazy Gang" era.

His involvement with the GMA dates back to 1969 when he joined the then-National Association of Groundsmen. His first engagement with SALTEX came as a volunteer when the show was held at Motspur Park, Southwest London. After eight years of volunteering, Derek took on the role of operations manager when the exhibition moved to Windsor Racecourse in 1979. Over the decades, he has watched SALTEX evolve first-hand, overseeing its tenancies at Windsor, Peterborough, and the NEC, Birmingham.

During his time with the GMA, Derek has held positions of General Secretary and Chairman and his dedication to the industry has been widely recognised, earning him a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 1988 for services to groundsmanship. In 2014, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the GMA Industry Awards and, in the same year, he was awarded up the ‘Unsung Hero’ award by the Association of Event Organisers. Derek was subsequently inducted into the GMA Hall of Fame in 2021 as an acknowledgement of an illustrious career in the industry spanning more than half a century.

Speaking on his upcoming retirement, Derek said, “Looking back at SALTEX, I never imagined that on a cold autumn day in 1979, when we arrived at Windsor Racecourse for the 'Windsor Exhibition', I’d still be involved 42 years later. Over those years, we have seen so many changes in the industry of which the exhibition has adapted to, and for 56 of those years I was in the profession so I could appreciate what needed from a visitor perspective. Even now, I still get the same buzz when the doors open as I did in 1979.”

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, said, “Derek's dedication to SALTEX and the grounds management industry has been remarkable. His expertise and leadership have played a vital role in shaping the exhibition into the premier platform it is today. His legacy extends far beyond the various roles he has held within the GMA - he is embedded in the culture of grounds management, having served most notably with the 'Crazy Gang'. Over the years, what has stood out to me is Derek's passion for SALTEX, which he has developed as a personal commitment. His work has provided the GMA with a strong foundation for the future. What many people may not know is the incredible amount of voluntary work Derek has done for both the association and SALTEX, of which we are grateful for and wish him all the best in his retirement.”

The first subject for one of the popular breakout sessions at this November's Service Dealer Conference has been confirmed.

Warwickshire Police Cyber Crime, in company with the Regional Cyber Crime Unit, will be leading an important workshop on the subject of cyber crime, entitled How Criminals Are Hacking Your Business.

Organisers say the workshop promises to give delegates an insight into how cyber criminals use team members to gain sensitive information from your business. The session will explore techniques criminals might use, and will demonstrate with case studies how this could happen.

The team also promise to give practical advice on what to look for, how to recognise if you are being scammed, but also how to avoid it.  

The workshop will be delivered by Ian Schofield, police officer, Regional Cyber Crime and James Squire, Warwickshire Cybercrime and Fraud coordinator.

The Service Dealer Conference takes place on Thursday 28th November 2024 at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford upon Avon. The theme for this year's event is Driving Success.

The organisers of the recent GroundsFest exhibition, held on 10 and 11 September at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, have now released the attendance figures for the two day event.

In an official statement they said this year saw "8,014 visitors across two days - 4,738 on day one and 3,276 on day two" - an increase on the inaugural event's figures, which were given around the 6,500 mark last year.

Event director, Christopher Bassett, said, “It’s incredible to see how much support GroundsFest has received from every corner of the industry. The growth from last year has been phenomenal, and we’re so grateful to all the exhibitors, visitors, and partners who made this year’s show such a success.

"As we look to the future, we want to continue growing and evolving the show - and the only way to do that is by listening to the industry. That’s why we encourage everyone to take the time to fill out the surveys we’ve sent out. Your feedback is invaluable.”

GroundsFest 2025 is set to take place on 9 and 10 September 2025, once again at Stoneleigh Park.